After five years of being consumed by the charity, Jasmine Smart had hit her breaking point.

She desperately needed to take a step back but she had no idea if anyone would want the enormous, unpaid task of running an animal rescue that currently consists of over 100 foster carers across the Central West.

Fortunately, within just a day of Central West Animal Rescue (CWAR) facing an uncertain future, it was clear that it would be saved. Among those to step forward was Patricia Osbourne who will take over as president from Ms Smart.

"Everyone is just so happy at the thought that we can continue," she said. "It's literally just our community that's done this. It hasn't been local MPs, it hasn't been Council, it's been residents that have done this."

After Ms Smart revealed in a candid Facebook post last week the extent to which she was struggling - both with her mental health and with CWAR's mounting bills - the community had responded with a generosity which flawed her. In less than three days, CWAR received over $4000 in donations.

Since then, Ms Smart is also doing a lot better. Despite the good she had achieved with CWAR and the many animals she had helped, she had been "stuck in a rut" for a long time before she hit her breaking point. Something she believes many volunteers in the not-for-profit sector face.

"[It] changes you mentally, it changes your lifestyle, it changes your family, it changes how you operate at work. It even changes your thinking process," she said.

"I've gone from being an optimistic, happy, carefree [person]... who wasn't afraid to take risks and wasn't afraid to get to know people.. Now whenever I meet a stranger, I think 'you're going to screw me'.. and 'what are your ulterior motives?'

"It's really, really sad.. to think that way about people. I hope that I get past that because [that's not] me."

While she'll no longer be president, the founder of CWAR said she'll remain "in the background" to provide advice to Ms Osbourne. But she's confident that the legacy of her rescue is in good hands.

"What makes me so proud is that I'll be leaving something that is exactly what I set out to create, and that was a charity for the community, in the community, run by community people with decisions made by community people," she said.

"I get tingles thinking about it. I'm just so proud of our group."

For more information about Central West Animal Rescue or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit the group's Facebook page or website.

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